SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo., Mar. 5, 2007-Vail Resorts is planning one of the most ambitious "green" development projects in the North American resort industry, to be called "Ever Vail." The $1 billion project will transform the 9.5-acre West LionsHead site into a green multi-use resort village consisting of residences, a hotel, offices, retail ...

SAM Magazine-Park City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2007-American Skiing Company founder Leslie B. Otten has resigned from the company's board of directors, effective as of late February. "I leave the board with mixed feelings," Otten said in a prepared statement. "It's been a pleasure to serve and help guide the company and I wish everyone well. I truly enjo...

SAM Magazine-Krasnaya Polyana, Russia, Mar. 1, 2007-Russian president Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Krasnaya Polyana during the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Evaluation Commission for the XXII Winter Olympics inspection tour of the resort and nearby city, Sochi. "Sochi is the only place in Russia with a combination of develop...

SAM Magazine-Bejing, China, Mar. 1, 2007-Asia is seeing a boom in skiing that could provide opportunities for European and North American resort companies and equipment manufacturers. In the last decade, more 300 ski areas have opened in China, complemented by three indoor ski centers. The majority of the areas are very basic: a run or two, served ...

SAM Magazine-Park City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2007-American Skiing Company (ASC) and Intrawest completed the sale of Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation today. Purchase price at the time the deal was announced in December was $265 million. But after preliminary adjustments for working capital and debt assumed by the buyer, and income realized by ASC from th...

SAM Magazine-McLean, Va., Feb. 22, 2007-Overall sales for both specialty and chain stores were down 3 percent to $1.46 billion for the August through December period of 2006, compared to $1.50 billion reported last year, according to the SIA Retail Audit. Unit sales were down 9 percent. "Strong sales in the Rockies, California and the Pacific North...

SAM Magazine - Bansko, Bulgaria. February 21, 2007 - Eastern Europe is experiencing a boom in skiing, lead by the Bulgarian resorts of Pamporovo and Bansko. Most of the action in Bansko has been in real estate, with a property boom fueled by an influx of buyers from the UK. Increasing development has led to criticism from the World Wildlife Federat...

SAM Magazine-Vancouver, BC., Feb.21, 2007-Intrawest has made three executive management team appointments in the Intrawest Mountain Resorts Division, with one long-time employee departing in conjunction with the changes to the corporate structure. The new structure will serve to align management with the strategic direction and growth objectives of...

SAM Magazine--Santa Fe, New Mexico, February 20, 2007--What a difference a year makes. New Mexico is enjoying great ski conditions with more than 15 feet of snow so far this year. Thanks to strong El Nino storms, New Mexico has seen a 60 percent increase in ski visits over last season, which was a season the region would rather forget. A storm l...

SAM Magazine--Park City, Utah, February 20, 2007--American Skiing Company (ASC) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Killington and Pico resorts in Vermont to SP Land Company, a major area land owner, for $83.5 million. SP Land Company, which has been in partnership with Killington since 2004 on a large develo...

SAM Magazine-Park City, Utah, Feb. 16, 2007-Following weeks of speculation, Peak Resorts has entered a purchase agreement for Mount Snow and Attitash with American Skiing Company for $73.5 million. When completed, the deal will leave Peaks with 11 resorts in Missouri, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Ohio. The agreement comes on ...

SAM Magazine-Aspen, Colo., Feb. 6, 2007-Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) has promoted John Rigney to vice president, sales and events and Connie Hamlin to director of sales. Also promoted are Auden Schendler, to executive director, community and environmental responsibility, and Matt Hamilton, to manager of community and environmental responsibility and ...

SAM Magazine-Lakewood, Colo., Feb. 2, 2007-The American Snowsports Education Association (ASEA, doing business as PSIA and AASI) and the National Ski Patrol (NSP) are ending their 17-year agreement for joint management, and will each have their own separate, dedicated management teams by July 1. Mark Dorsey, currently executive director for both...

SAM Magazine--New York, February 1, 2007--With state-owned ski areas already exempt from sales taxes on equipment and energy purchases, the time may have come for private ski areas in New York to reap some tax benefits of their own. Under a bill proposed by State Senator Elizabeth Little, private resorts could see tax relief from sales and use taxe...

SAM Magazine - Keystone, Colo., January 24, 2007 - Keystone resort has named Doug Lovell as the new director of mountain operations. Lovell makes the move to Keystone from Beaver Creek, and brings more than 13 years of mountain operations and guest services experience in the ski and snowboard industry to his new position. Lovell started at Beav...